Combination foldable double bed and sofa



April 1968 A. G. SCHINDLER 3,377,635

COMBINATION FQLDABLE DOUBLE BED AND SOFA Filed Aug. 1, 1966 //V VE/V TOR20 FRED 6. SCH/N01. El?

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,377,635 COMBINATION FOLDABLE DOUBLE BEDAND SOFA Alfred G. Schindler, 1281 30th St.,

Oakland, Calif. 94608 Filed Aug. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 574,887 2 Claims.(Cl. 45)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The combined sofa and double bed has a framesupporting a moveable back member and horizontal cushion. Similar linkmembers are arranged at the ends of the back member. The lower portionof each of the link members is bent to provide a forwardly extendingleg. The free end of each leg is pivotally connected to the frame memberand the upper end of each link member is pivotally connected to theupper end portion of the back member. Th link is sufficiently long tocontrol the movement of the back member from an upright position to ahorizontal position forwardly of and along side the cushion, and legsare pivotally carried by the back member to swing outwardly from theback thereof and support the back member above a floor.

This invention relates to an improved article of household furniturewhich by the adjustment of certain parts thereof may be adapted for useeither as a double bed or a sofa.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an article offurniture having an articulate, adjustable back member which is normallypositioned in a substantially vertical position to provide a back restfor a sofa, but which is arranged for adjustment to a forwardly disposedhorizontal position to convert the sofa into a double bed.

Another object of my invention is to provide an article of furniture ofthe kind characterized, having an adjustable back member articularlysupported on an elongated frame by means of a pair of pivoted links orbars, the back member being arranged for positioning in a substantiallyupright position behind an elongated padded seat to provide a back restfor a sofa, and such back member being adapted to be swung forwardly andarranged in a substantially horizontal position alongside and forwardlyof the seat to provide a double bed.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed outhereinafter or will be indicated in the appended claims or Will beobvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the presentdisclosure. For the purpose of this application, I have elected to show'herein certain details of a combination double bed and sofa which isillustrative of my invention; it is to be understood, however, that theembodiment of my invention herein shown and described is for puruposesof illustration only, and that it is not to be regarded as exhaustive ofthe variations of the invention in the art.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the article of furniture embodying theprinciples of my invention, showing the same in the form of a sofa;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view ofthe same article of furniture, showingthe sofa converted into a double bed;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the article of furniture, showingparts broken away and in section, and also showing the adjustable backmember positioned to provide a back rest for the sofa;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the article of furniture, showingthe back member in a partially adjusted forward position;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view showing the back 3,377,635 PatentedApr. 16, 196E member fully adjustable to its forward position to complete the conversion of the article of furniture from sofa to a doublebed;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the bacl member, showing oneof the supporting legs in a down wardly swung position to support theback member in 2 horizontal position;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the means used tc facilitate and controlthe adjustment of the back member when converting the sofa into a doublebed and whet converting the double bed into a sofa; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged detailed view showing the bearing support for therotatable rod which is secured to the two adjusting arms associated withthe back member.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates an upholstered frameWhich embodies an elongated hori zontal bottom member 11 and end members12. The frame is of the type commonly used in the construction of acouch or sofa, and suitable legs 13 are provided to support the frameabove a floor. The end frame members provide the side arms for the sofaas Well as means to attach and support a rear panel 14. Normally restingon the bottom frame member 11 is a removable elongated cushion 15 whichis adapted to provide a seat for the sofa and a mattress portion of adouble bed.

An elongated upholstered back member 16 having substantially the samelength as the cushion 15 is adapted to be supported on the bottom framemember 11 in a substantially vertical or slightly inclined position toprovied a back rest for the sofa. The back member 16 when positioned toprovide a back rest for the sofa is arranged with its elongated loweredge resting on the bottom frame member 11 and its upper edge portionengaging with the back panel 14. When so positioned, the lower edgeportion of the back member 16 is disposed rearwardly of and inengagement with the rear longitudinal edge of the cushion or seat 15.The back member 16 preferably embodies a structurally rigid upholsteredrectangular frame 16a which provides a recess 16b therein for receivingpivoted U-shaped legs 17, the said legs being pivotally connected toends of the frame 16a, and such legs being adapted to swing outwardly inopposite directions from concealed positions Within the recess toslightly inclined positions to engage with the floor, as shown in FIG.6. When in outwardly extended supporting positions, the legs 17 arebraced against the frame 16a to hold them in suitable positions forproperly supporting the back member 16 in a horizontal position.

To provide articulate means for conveniently changing the position ofthe back member 16 from a slightly inclined or substantially verticalposition wherein it provides a back rest for a sofa (FIG. 1) to ahorizontal position in front of and alongside the cushion 15 providing amattress portion of a double bed (FIG. 5), I preferably employ themechanism about to be described. Supported in suitable bearings 18secured as by screws to the underneath side of the bottom frame member11 is a rotatable rod 19 Which extends longitudinally beneath the saidbottom frame member. Secured to the ends of the rod 19 are similarlyshaped and correspondingly positioned bars or link members 20 which arepivotally connected as at 21 to opposite ends of the frame 16a of theback member 16 at points near the upper edge thereof (FIG. 3). The barsor link members 20 are similarly bent as at 20a to provide short offsetportions 20b which are adapted to rest against stop members 22 securedto opposite end portions of the bottom frame member 11 to prevent anypossible rearward displacement of the back member 16 when a pressure isimposed thereon as by a person sitting on the sofa. When the back member16 is in a position providing a back rest for the sofa, the upperstraight ortions of the bars or link members 20 lie alongside the indsof the back member in concealed positions.

To convert the sofa (FIGS. 1 and 3) into a double bed FIGS. 2 and 5),the cushion 15 is first removed to pro- 'ide sufiicient clearance toallow the back member 16 to e adjusted to a horizontal position in frontof the frame nember 11. The upper portion of the back member 16 is)ulled or adjusted forwardly to an upright position above he bottomframe member 11, as shown in FIG. 4, after vhich the U-shaped legs 17are swung outwardly to posiions for supporting the back member in ahorizontal posiion above the floor. The back member is then turned in l.counter-clockwise direction through an angle of about iinety degreesabout the pivots 21 and further adjusted Forwardly and downwardly to ahorizontal position in front of the bottom frame member 11 with theU-shaped .egs 1'7 resting on the floor. The cushion 15 is then replacedupon the bottom frame member 11, alongside the tow horizontallypositioned back member 16, as shown .n FIGS. 2 and 5, to complete theconversion of the sofa into a double bed. The cushion 15 then provides apor- :ion of a mattress for the double bed while the then horizontalback member provides the remaining mattress portion. The lengths of thebottom frame member 11, the :ushion 15 and the back member 16 are suchthat the double bed is adapted to accommodate comfortably two personsreclining on the cushion and the horizontally positioned back member.Preferably the cushion and the back member have substantially the samethickness.

Although not shown on the drawing, a cloth covering may be attached tothe back member to cover both the back member and the cushion as well asthe intervening space between them.

It is to be noted that the link members 20 are sufficiently long tocontrol the movement of the back member 16 when adjusted from its backrest position (FIG. 3) to its horizontal position forwardly of andalongside the cushion 15 (FIG. 5).

I claim:

1. An article of furniture of the convertible type, adapted for use as asofa or a double bed, comprising in combination:

(a) an elongated frame having a substantially horizontal bottom memberand end members;

(b) an elongated cushion normally resting on the bottom member of theframe to provide a substantially horizontal seat for the sofa and amattress portion for th double bed;

(c) an adjustable elongated back member adapted to be supported on theframe in an upright position to provide a back rest for the sofa, theback member being adjustable to a substantially horizontal positionforwardly of and alongside the cushion to provide a mattress portion forthe double bed;

(d) pivoted legs connected to the ends of the back member, the said legsbeing adjustable to position extending outwardly from the back member tosupport the back member above a floor surface; and

(e) similar link members arranged in substantially correspondingpositions at the ends of the back member,

the lower portion of each of said link members being bent to provide aforwardly extending leg, the free end of said leg being pivotallyconnected to the bottom frame member, the upper end of each of said linkmembers being pivotally connected to the back member adjacent the upperedge thereof, the link members being sufficiently long to control themovement of the back member when adjusted from an upright position to asubstantially horizontal position forwardly of and alongside thecushion, a stop on said frame contacting said link when in uprightposition to limit the rearward pivotal movement of each link.

2. An article of furniture of the convertible type, adapted for use as asofa or a double bed, comprising in combination:

(a) an elongated frame having a bottom member and end members;

(b) a removable elongated cushion resting on the bottom member toprovide a substantially horizontal seat for the sofa and a mattressportion for the double bed;

(0) an adjustable, elongated back member adapted to be supported on theframe in an upright position to provide a back rest for the sofa and ina substantially horizontal position to provide a mattress portion forthe double bed, the back member having:

(1) pivoted legs connected to end portions of the back member andnormally arranged in concealed positions inside the back member, thesaid legs being adjustable to positions extending outwardly from theback member to support the back member above a floor surface;

(2) a rotatable rod extending beneath and carried by the bottom framemember in forward spaced relation to the rear edge thereof; and

(3) similar link members arranged in substantially correspondingpositions at the ends of the back member, the lower portion of each ofsaid link members being bent to provide a forwardly extending leg, thefree end of said leg being rigidly connected to said rod to pivottherewith, the upper end of each of said link members being pivotallyconnected to the back member adjacent the upper edge thereof, the linkmembers being sufficiently long to control the adjustment of the backmember from the upright position to the horizontal position alongsideand forwardly of the cushion.

8/1953 Reilly 5-45 5/1963 Walstad 544 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, PrimaryExaminer.

